The suspected gunman has been charged with seven counts of murder following the attack on a National Day parade on Monday.

If convicted, that meant life imprisonment with no possibility of parole.

The 21-year-old fired more than 70 shots from a rooftop at the Highland Park parade near Chicago, killing seven people and injuring more than 30.

He was arrested by the police around eight hours after the crime.

He was due to appear in court on Wednesday.

Sofia Dreisbach

North American political correspondent based in Washington.

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Recent information about the alleged perpetrator leads to the question of why he was able to legally acquire the heavy weapons in his possession.

According to the police, there were two incidents in 2019.

In April 2019, officials responded to a report that the young man had attempted suicide.

He and his parents were spoken to and the case was further looked after by psychologists.

Then in September, a family member called the police and said the young man had threatened to "kill everyone" and that he had a collection of knives.

At that time, according to the police, 16 knives, a dagger and a sword were confiscated;

however, the family did not want to press charges.

After the father stated that the knives belonged to him, they were returned the same day.

Over the next two years, according to investigators, the young man acquired five weapons - various rifles, a pistol and a shotgun.

There were no objections to four reviews of his person between June 2020 and September 2021.

The purchases were not denied because there was "insufficient basis for a clear, current threat".

The only entry in the criminal file was from 2016, for illegal tobacco possession as a teenager.

Under the name "Awake the Rapper" he had fantasized about acts of violence in music videos.

In June, President Joe Biden signed legislation requiring stricter screening of young gun buyers.

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering told CNN that she was "waiting for an explanation" of how the young man was able to purchase the guns.

The city's police have made all the necessary reports.

There are also mentally ill people in other countries, "but they don't have access to such weapons of war and they can't cause such bloodshed in their hometowns".

That has to stop.